From entrepreneurship to choreography; the seamless journey of ‘NAARI’

September 1: Women entrepreneurs around the world have transformed the global economy with their dedication and vision. Sharmistha Purkayastha (Bhattacharjee), whose brainchild NAARI has been a shining name in the field of start-ups spoke to way2barak about her inspiring story whilst also touching upon her love for dance and choreography in this breezy conversation with Dr. Himabrata Das.

H.D. How tough has the pandemic been for entrepreneurs?

S.P. The novel coronavirus COVID-19 has become a pandemic resulting in a hefty financial toll. As the COVID-19 continues its disruption, the livelihood of many entrepreneurs and small business owners has been disrupted. We’re all experiencing a lot of intense emotions amidst these ever-evolving times. But entrepreneurs operating in this pandemic need to have a positive mindset. This brighter mindset leads to more clarity and a focus on what needs to be done to maintain steady progress.

H.D. How did your journey with NAARI start?

S.P. My father was an established businessman and he is my greatest source of inspiration. My father had started his business with zero capital and had ended up with two spare parts showrooms in Imphal. His sudden death was a big jolt for us but his love and motivation has been a constant support for me and has inspired me to make an identity as a Woman Entrepreneur. And so without any proper strategy, NAARI (A way to a woman’s heart) started its journey on 25 August, 2019.

H.D. What are the challenges that women entrepreneurs have to face?

S.P. By God’s grace, I have not faced any obstacles so far and the biggest reason behind it is my supportive family. Their love, blessings and support is my biggest strength. But generally women entrepreneurs face the following challenges:

• Financial constraints
• Responsibilities towards their families
• To make their identity in a male dominated society
• Mental strength
• Tough competition with large scale units

H.D. What plans do you have of expanding?

S.P. My patrons are my pillars. I have started working as an online entrepreneur since July 2016. And from the very beginning till this day, the love & the trust I have gained from my patrons has been beyond my expectations. I will remain ever grateful to them for their selfless support. And out of this love and support NAARI came into existence and so I am keeping my fingers crossed for the upcoming future too. NAARI (A Way to a woman’s heart) has a long way to go.

H.D. What qualities do you feel young and aspiring entrepreneurs need to inculcate to survive in the competitive marketplace?

S.P. These days it is increasingly difficult for an entrepreneur’s business to stand out. Extreme competition has led to consumers having high expectations. Below are some of the characteristics we need to follow to survive in the competitive marketplace
*Passion and ambition
*Learning and efficiency
*Good communication skills
*Strategic thinking
*Patience and perseverance

H.D. This pandemic has brought out the choreographer within you. How did your love-affair with dance begin and how has it blossomed?

S.P. My first love is dance and it is my greatest passion too. We know everything has its pros & cons and for me this pandemic has proved it very much. My first nritya guru was Late Chandra Kumar Sinha. He was an eminent Kathak dancer. After that, I learnt under the guidance of nritya guru Late Mukundadas Bhattacharjee, an exponent of folk dance. I feel so blessed to have had them as my gurus. But due to some unavoidable circumstances, I lost my passion. Perhaps I got discouraged due to the demise of my gurus.

But again, I started tapping my feet utilising the lockdown consequent upon the pandemic. I posted some of my dance videos on my Facebook profile and gained so much love and appreciation which was totally unexpected from my side. Gradually, the encouragement started working and I again chose to live my passion. Now I am learning Kathak again from a Kathak exponent, nritya guru Sri Debatosh Nath. And now I believe, “Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do in your life, be passionate.”

H.D. And lastly, your words of advice for the youngsters who want to live their dreams as entrepreneurs

S.P. Becoming an entrepreneur is not a challenge these days. Anyone who understands the basics of building and running a business can become an entrepreneur. The only thing that differentiates an extraordinary entrepreneur from an ordinary one is his/her skill set. My advice for the youngsters would be, “Be confident and you have to believe in yourself before anyone else will.”

Recently I have created a closed group “Love for Handloom (Celebrating Womanhood)” on Facebook with only female members. I have created the group with a motto to promote women empowerment and also to support our weavers. In the group, we organise various contests along with Live Shows with various cultural programmes and motivational speakers who promote positive aspects of life. In the group, we also encourage all women entrepreneurs to promote their entrepreneurship. I believe ‘Together We Will Grow.’

Also Read: A multi-faceted personality, Bidhayak Bhattacharjee in conversation with Dr. Himabrata Das

**Dr. Himabrata Das, Registrar, Department of Psychiatry, Tezpur Medical College & Hospital (TMCH). Apart from this, he is a vivid lover of sports, an eloquent commentator and a columnist.